Frequently Asked Questions

You have questions, we have answers.

Wireless Internet FAQs

How does Colorado Central Telecom's Internet service work?

Our towers beam Internet service to a dish on your house, which is connected to a Wi-Fi router that provides online access. Your Internet traffic travels back and forth from the Wi-Fi router, dish and tower, allowing you to stream movies, connect on social media and surf the web.

This network of backhaul, towers and on-site equipment is called fixed wireless Internet service. For more information, please visit our Wireless Internet page.

Am I covered by your network?

Colorado Central Telecom’s network covers the upper San Luis Valley and much of Chaffee County. With 20 towers, we’re able to offer Internet to many areas left unserved by other providers. However, our coverage is not ubiquitous.

Customers must have line of sight from their home to a Colorado Central Telecom tower — literally. If you can see one of our towers from your home, even at a great distance, chances are good that Colorado Central Telecom can provide you with Internet service.

If you do not have line of sight, Colorado Central Telecom may not be able to serve you. In instances where terrain or foliage is blocking Colorado Central Telecom’s signal, special equipment may be necessary to provide you with Internet.

Are you a satellite service?

Colorado Central Telecom does not use satellites to provide Internet service. Instead, we use powerful fixed wireless technology to beam the Internet straight to your house. If you have line of sight to one of our 20 towers, we can get you connected.

VoIP Phone Service FAQs

What standard features come with VoIP service?

Colorado Central Telecom’s VoIP phone service includes all long distance calls within the continental United States, as well as caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding and voicemail. You can also keep your existing landline phone number.

Can I keep my existing number if I switch to Colorado Central Telecom?

For the most part, yes. When you sign up for VoIP, just notify customer service that you’d like to port your number. You’ll have to fill out a form authorizing the transfer, but we’ll take care of the rest. The majority of our customers are able to keep their existing number. However, some rural telephone companies are exempt from Federal Communications Commission rules regarding number porting. Customers in those areas will not be able to port their numbers.

What is VoIP?

VoIP is short for Voice Over Internet Protocol, and that’s exactly what the phone service is. VoIP uses Internet protocol to place calls. Your voice signals are converted into data so they can be transmitted over the Internet. This happens so fast that VoIP calls are indistinguishable from analogue phone calls. You don’t have to get a fancy new phone to use VoIP. Just plug your regular landline phone into our analogue telephone adapter, and you’re ready to go.

What's the difference between VoIP and regular landline phone service?

Whereas landline phone service uses a network of telephone wires, VoIP phone calls are carried over the Internet.

How reliable is VoIP?

Your VoIP service depends on your Internet service. The reliability of our network is our highest priority, but if you lose your Internet connection because of a power outage at your home, your VoIP phone won’t work. You can protect against this by purchasing an inexpensive uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which provides a battery backup for your equipment. VoIP phone service can also be affected by Internet outages.

How will my phone service be delivered?

Colorado Central Telecom will provide you with a small box called an Analog Telephone Adaptor, or ATA. Your Internet service plugs in on one side and your phone plugs in on the other side. Just connect your regular landline phone into the ATA and use it as usual.

Do I have to subscribe to Colorado Central Telecom Internet to get VoIP phone service?

Yes. Our VoIP service runs on our Internet service, so Internet needs to be live before we can activate VoIP phone service.

Does Colorado Central Telecom's VoIP service support 911?

Colorado Central Telecom’s VoIP service does support 911, but there are some important differences to be aware of in the event of an emergency because power failures and Internet outages will affect your ability to call 911 and other emergency services.
As with all VoIP services, Colorado Central Telecom VoIP services may not work during a power outage. This can be prevented by purchasing battery backup, also called an uninterruptible backup power supply.
Your VoIP phone operates over the same network as your Internet service. As such, your VoIP phone will not function in the event of an Internet outage or other service interruption, even if the battery backup is working.
If you move your ATA box to a new residence without updating your registered address, 911 calls may not work correctly. They may fail to complete, or emergency personnel may be unable to identify your location.
More information is available at our 911 disclosure page.

Can I use the Internet and my VoIP phone at the same time, or is it like dial up?

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, you can use the Internet and your VoIP phone at the same time. While they both use the same network, there’s plenty of capacity to handle Internet and voice calls simultaneously.

Residential Service FAQs

How much does it cost to install Internet service?

Are there limits to how much data I can use?

Colorado Central Telecom provides buffet-style, all-you can eat Internet service. That means you can use the Internet all you want without worrying about overage fees, throttled speeds or service interruption. So go ahead, watch that movie – it won’t cost you any extra.

Do I have to sign a contract?

We don’t believe in roping our customers into expensive, lengthy contracts with costly early termination fees. Our service is month-to-month. If you don’t like us, you fire us.

Can I change my service after signing up?

If you want a faster connection, or decide you can make do with less, go ahead and make the change. We don’t tack on extra fees for changing service. Just call our friendly support staff at 719-937-7700 ext. 1 and update your account.

What if I'm going on an extended vacation?

We offer a $10/month service suspension mode for customers planning extended absences. Just call our friendly support line at 719-937-7700 ext. 1 and let us know you’ll be heading out of town, and we’ll take care of the rest. When you’re ready to return, give us another call and we’ll reactivate your service.

Business Services FAQs

Why should I choose Colorado Central Telecom?

Colorado Central Telecom sets itself apart with fixed wireless Internet, technology that gives our service more reach than DSL and more speed than satellite. It works by transmitting Internet from one of Colorado Central Telecom’s 20 towers to a dish mounted on the exterior of your business. It’s fast, it’s reliable and it’s easy to deploy. In addition to our technological advantage, Colorado Central Telecom is a local company that provides responsive customer service and technical support.

How reliable is your network?

Colorado Central Telecom understands the importance of reliability. Backhaul – the link between the network and the World Wide Web – is key to dependable service. Colorado Central Telecom built its network with stable backhaul in mind. In fact, Colorado Central Telecom uses three independent backhaul providers to ensure a redundant connection that won’t let you down.

How does your latency rate compare to the competition?

Latency, or ping rate, measures how quickly Internet traffic moves from one point to another. The less time it takes, the better. Colorado Central Telecom beats the industry standard 60-millisecond latency with ping rates between 25-45 ms. Compared to satellite service, where latency rates can reach into the hundreds, and Colorado Central Telecom has the clear advantage.

What speeds do you offer?

Our standard packages come with download speeds of 4, 8 or 12 MBPS. While these speeds meet the needs of many businesses, Colorado Central Telecom understands that specialized services are sometimes required. We can customize Internet service to meet your needs, from high-capacity full duplex to extra upload speeds. Custom packages start at just $10/megabit.

Does your network reach my business?

Colorado Central Telecom’s growing 20-tower network covers much of Chaffee County and the upper San Luis Valley. A coverage map is available atwww.goubiquiti.com/wisps/colorado-central-telecom-llc . To tell whether Colorado Central Telecom can provide service to your home or business, just look outside. If you can see one of our towers, chances are good we can provide you with Internet. Our friendly staff can also check service availability at your location. Simply call 719-937-7700 ext. 1.

What type of equipment do you use?

Colorado Central Telecom’s network uses high-powered equipment from top vendors, including Motorola and Ubiquiti Networks. Signals are transmitted over the 5.8 GHz, 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz bands. On-premises equipment typically consists of a dish-like transmitter/receiver. In some instances, specialized equipment may be necessary to provide service.

Interested?

Our Internet and VoIP phone services aren’t just fast and reliable, they’re local. With Colorado Central Telecom, you get better service from people who care.